


The Icarus to Your Certainty

by Ashtree11



Series: Icarus and the Emperor [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Character Study, Crimson Flower Route, F/F, Kinda?, im here and queer for knight/liege tropes, it's 12k words of somethin', we be pining guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:20:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22853140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashtree11/pseuds/Ashtree11
Summary: Since her days at the academy, Ingrid Galatea couldn't explain why she was so transfixed on the Adrestian princess. Now two years into the war, the feelings haven't waned, they merely persisted to the point that she defects from her homeland and to the Empire to forge her own path. Whatever that may be.
Relationships: Ingrid Brandl Galatea/Edelgard von Hresvelg
Series: Icarus and the Emperor [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677046
Comments: 15
Kudos: 136





	The Icarus to Your Certainty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheAbsentMindedArchitect](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAbsentMindedArchitect/gifts).



> So I thought I'd take a crack at writing edelgrid in between other fics I'm writing. I dedicate this fic to my friend, Elegants, on discord who provided great encouragement and enabled the following 12k+ words <3  
> oh boi this fic's word count really got away from me huh? regardless kudos are greatly appreciated and any comments and/or critiques are deeply treasured cuz im always looking to improve my writing

Despite the tranquil quiet that blanketed Fhirdiad at the midnight hour, Ingrid’s heart relentlessly pounded in her ribcage. Her hands, usually steady when wielding her lance or holding the reins of her pegasus, trembled as she hastily packed her clothes into a knapsack.

The candle on her nightstand flickered from her hasty movements, threatening to snuff out at any given moment. She hoped to work fast before her doubts and paranoia could have a chance to ask, what in the _hell_ is she thinking?

She drew the drawstring of the knapsack, tossed it over her shoulder, and blew out the candle. She allowed herself a moment to watch the ribbon of smoke rise and dissipate into the moonlit room. With a steadying breath, Ingrid turned and left, closing the door behind her as quietly as she could. Her next stop was the kitchens where she took bread and dried meat strips. They won’t last her the entire trip to Enbarr, but it will suffice until she is at least far enough away from the Faerghus capital to restock.

As quick as a shadow, Ingrid avoided the patrolling guards until she finally arrived at the stables. She slipped through the doors and lit the first lantern she could get her hands on. The horses and pegasi whinnied and knickered at their rest being disturbed. Ingrid shushed and cooed at them until they were calmed.

Her own pegasus, Boreas, was at the far end of the building, poking his head out of the stall as if sensing his rider’s presence.

Ingrid held out a hand in greeting, proceeding to stroke the pegasus’s nose only once he met her half way.

“Sorry to wake you up like this,” Ingrid whispered. “But remember that thing I was talking to you about a while ago...? I’m doing it now, so I’m going to need your help, okay?”

The pegasus snorted before nudging his nose against Ingrid’s chest. That was as good of a confirmation as any.

And so, Ingrid Brandl Galatea, heiress to House Galatea of Faerghus and knight to King Dimitri, defected from the Kingdom Army, flying off into the night with only a pegasus feather left behind in her wake.

***

The journey was as long as she had anticipated. She stopped at any small towns that her meager map had to offer, rationing her limited store of funds for food and shelter. She never stayed for more than a few hours at a time lest she risk being recognized. At one point she contemplated going to Galatean territory where her family was, thinking that it may well be the last time she would be able to do so. But logic surmised that such a move would be risky, would raise too much suspicion no matter what cover story she conjured.

Though, she made sure to stop in at least one city to send a message to Enbarr ahead of her. Bearing Dorothea Arnault’s name on the envelope and a relative time frame of her arrival contained within, Ingrid hoped the missive would be enough to allow her entry into the heart of the Empire. If it wasn’t, then her defection was for nothing. She would’ve betrayed her friends, her home country, for nothing.

She shook her head of such thoughts, letting the steady beat of Boreas’s wings soothe her. But it wasn’t enough to quell her heartbeat that hasn’t stopped pounding since she left Fhirdiad. She pulled her cloak closer around her body to fight against the biting cold native to Faerghus’s lands. The higher altitude unsurprisingly made it worse, but the clouds provided ideal cover. No doubt her disappearance has been noticed by now. Whether Dimitri was in the state of mind to search for her or demand her head on a stake remained to be seen. Though she was willing to bet that the latter was more likely to happen.

A shudder wracked through her at the memory of his raging shouts on the battlefield. No matter how high in the sky she was, she could hear him demanding more blood. It was heartbreaking to see that this was the king her childhood friend had turned into, someone who was so willing to sacrifice everything for revenge. But she was just as guilty. She fought in his name, spilled the blood of countless faceless enemies to live to see another battle until she would eventually die for his mad convictions. As expected of a true knight bearing Faerghus colors.

But at the end of the day, after scrubbing her skin raw of the crusted blood of another battle fought and survived (never quite losing but never winning either it often felt like), she would reminisce on her time at the academy—a time full of her father’s letters of betrothals and days spent training to escape them in a grand illusion that she would day become a knight. How simple those times were in retrospect.

More often than not, Edelgard would appear in her mind’s eye, sending her into a spiral of questions as to why. They were in separate classes and thus rarely talked, why was the Emperor of Adrestia, the enemy of her King on her mind in any other context than combat?

Then she would remember how she and the other Black Eagle students defended her against her ‘suitor.’ How, at Dorothea’s cry of “Don’t let them touch, Ingrid!”, the Imperial Princess who probably didn’t even know who she was took the objective to heart and fought with a ferocity and grace that made Ingrid weak in the knees despite being mounted on her pegasus. She would be loathe to admit that Edelgard had been on her mind since then, how she lingered a tad longer in the training area to sneak glances at the Adrestian House Leader.

There were times when she wanted to walk up to Professor Byleth and request to be transferred into the Black Eagles, just as Felix did. But where Felix had reasonable motives for his transfer, Ingrid’s lied solely in her fixation on Edelgard. She felt foolish for it, and ultimately she stayed with the Blue Lions.

Then came the reveal of Edelgard as the Flame Emperor and her subsequent invasion of Garreg Mach. Of course, everyone felt a pang of betrayal that day. However for Ingrid it wasn’t simply a pang, but rather a weight on her heart that gnawed at it like an animal until it ached unbearably and clawed up her throat, making her eyes sting with tears.

But why? Why did she feel so different?

Two years passed since the start of the war, and the gnawing heartbreak had long since given way to gnawing curiosity, turned “Why do I feel this way?” to “Why did Edelgard do this?”

She needed to know.

News regarding the Adrestian Empire was far and in between in Faerghus, even more so in Fhirdiad at the command of King Dimitri and the encouragement of Archbishop Rhea whom they were housing. And so she resorted to letter writing. It took many attempts and discreet pen names until she finally managed to get a letter to Dorothea, one of the few people at the academy she would call a close friend. The letter that came in response contained a copy of Emperor Edelgard’s manifesto as well as an explicit warning to burn it as soon as Ingrid read it to avoid being caught with it.

The dismantling of the Church, the Crests, _and_ nobility... Ingrid tried to imagine a future without any of those things, a future free of ‘goddess gifted’ birthright and being married off for power and wealth. It all sounded too good to be true. She said as much to Boreas while she was grooming him. But the more she talked about it, the more she wanted to believe in it.

Her decision to defect came as a result of weeks of rumination, and yet it still felt impulsive and made in a fit of passion. Perhaps it was because of her haste to leave, her attempt to outrun her doubts, that made it so. She ruminated how she could have saved herself all this trouble if only she had transferred into the Black Eagles when she had the chance.

Caught up in her thoughts, Ingrid didn’t realize how warm it suddenly became. It wasn’t until she felt the first beads of sweat gathering on her brows and her cloak began to chafe against her arms that she emerged from her rampant mind. The sun seemed to shine brighter here, enveloping her in its warmth as if to welcome her. She shielded her eyes against the sunlight, taking in the rolling green fields and trees that stretched out before her. 

With an invigorated smile, Ingrid gave Boreas a pat on his neck for a job well done. At last, she had arrived in Adrestia. There was no going back now.

***

She had heard stories of Enbarr’s grandeur from her time at the academy, but they couldn’t have possibly prepared her for the sheer scale of it as it loomed closer. The palace was easy to spot within the dense city with its signature red and gold flags fluttering in the breeze from its high walls.

Squinting through the distance, Ingrid spotted more flags and glittering silver armor gathered at the front gates, and at the center of the group was a splash of bright crimson. As she flew closer, the crimson shape became Emperor Edelgard herself. All thoughts halted, her blood turned to ice despite the Adrestian heat. Ingrid swallowed, tightening her grip on the reins.

In her letter to Dorothea, she had requested an audience with Edelgard, yes, but nowhere in her right mind would she think that the Emperor herself would meet her at the gates first thing. 

Oblivious to his rider’s growing panic, Boreas continued to fly towards the gates, more eager for rest than anything else. Before she knew it, Boreas touched down on the earth a few paces away from the waiting crowd. He stomped his hoof, awaiting his rider’s next command. Emperor Edelgard did the same, leveling the pegasus knight with a calculating stare while her guards clutched their weapons warily.

Ingrid didn’t know Adrestian customs or protocols for surrendering, if there were any, so she did what she felt was the right thing to do as a show of peace. On stiff limbs, she dismounted Boreas. Her legs were weak from the flight and shaking with her anxiousness, but she stood firm, long enough to remove her lance from her back and the dagger at her hip and throw them out of her reach. As they clattered to the ground before the Emperor, Ingrid knelt down on one knee, crossed an arm over her chest, her fist resting over her thundering heartbeat, and bowed her head. She wanted to say something in greeting, some formal address, but the jumble of words lodged themselves in her throat and all she could do was wait with bated breath.

The sound of boots crunching over blades of grass met her ears. Whom they belonged to she couldn’t see from her bowed position. Her eyes fell shut as they drew closer, half expecting a blade to draw from a sheath and cut her down right there and then.

“Ingrid Brandl Galatea,” Edelgard spoke above her.

“Your Majesty,” she responded, hoping that her voice wasn’t as shaky as she felt.

“Dorothea informed me of your arrival and your request for an audience with me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Several seconds ticked by. Or perhaps they didn’t, it was impossible for her to tell.

Then, Ingrid felt the cool metal of Edelgard’s gauntlet pressed under chin, gently lifting her head up until their eyes met. Time truly stood still then. By all means, Ingrid should be withering under the unwavering violet stare that searched for a hint of deceit or ill-intent; or flustered by the unexpected contact of the steel glove that held her chin firmly in place. But by some miracle, Ingrid didn’t do either of those things and held her eyes up, willing every ounce of surrender and sincerity into them for Edelgard to see.

At last, Edelgard hummed. And her hand fell away. “Well then. Seeing as you’ve disarmed yourself so willingly, I will grant your request.”

Ingrid’s shoulders relaxed. She felt lightheaded at the sudden weight being lifted from them. 

“Note that one wrong move and you will be taken to the dungeons,” the Emperor warned.

Ingrid nodded. She expected as much. “Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The guards came forward then, gathering her discarded weapons and her pegasus before they escorted the Emperor back to the palace with her in tow.

The citizens of Enbarr looked on with mild curiosity, murmuring amongst one another idly as they wondered who Ingrid was. She didn’t mind the whisperings, as long as no one was clamoring to expose her as a Kingdom soldier. No, her attention was focused solely on Edelgard’s red clad hand as it swung along with her strong stride. Idly, she reached up to hold her chin, remembering the cold touch that had once been there—cold yet also warm...

***

“Why have you come here?” Edelgard’s question echoed through the throne room. There was no one else there except for Hubert and (apparently after some convincing) Dorothea. Hubert unsurprisingly scowled at the pegasus knight, scrutinizing every inch of her for any weaknesses or signs of attack. Dorothea, on the other hand, offered her smiles of encouragement in between chewing her thumbnail nervously.

Ingrid stood before the stairsteps, her posture ramrod-straight with her arms secured behind her back. Meanwhile, Edelgard herself paced around her like a vulture as she conducted her interrogation.

“Born of House Galatea and distant relative to House Daphnel of the Alliance, as well as a childhood friend to King Dimitri of the Holy Kingdom. Is there anything I’ve missed?”

“No, Your Majesty,” Ingrid answered.

“Then you understand how wary I am knowing that someone of your position would want to have little to do with the Empire. Moreover, to make such a long journey for the sake of defection raises suspicion. So why come here to Enbarr?” Edelgard stepped closer so that she was speaking directly to Ingrid’s ear. Her tone was lowered, as if she only wanted the pegasus knight to hear it. “Why come here to me?”

Ingrid shuddered at the sudden proximity, but inhaled slowly to shroud it as Edelgard resumed her pacing. She took a moment to gather her thoughts. This was it, she came all this way for this moment. “I learned what you plan to do about the nobility and Crests. My life has been dictated by both to the point where my own desires are devalued.”

Edelgard stopped her pacing in front of her. Though her expression was impassive, there was something in her violet eyes that were alight with something else: a glimmer of hope, and it was giving her full attention.

Ingrid forced herself to continue in order to keep herself from staring at her former classmate, or from admiring how beautiful she looked in the sunlight as it filtered in from the stained glass window behind her. “When I tried to imagine what Fodlan would be like without Crests and nobility, I couldn’t fathom it... But _you_ do. You see it enough to carry out this war. I want to see it too.”

The throne room plunged into silence. Ingrid’s fingernails dug crescents into her forearms. Habit wanted her to bite her bottom lip and it took every ounce of will to abstain.

“I see.” Edelgard said simply. “And how is it you hope to see my vision for Fodlan?”

“Fighting under your command if that is what it takes, Your Majesty.”

Edelgard didn’t relent. “And what of your king? Though I am not of the Kingdom, I am familiar with its code of arms and the creed of its knights. Undying loyalty until you draw your last breath, from what I understand. You and your fellow Blue Lion classmates were proud of upholding this, yes?”

Once more, Ingrid’s heart thundered in her chest. She felt as though the situation was spiralling out of her control. In her peripheral vision, she could see Dorothea sensing this as well, plain as day in her eyes that which could only look on helplessly as her former classmate remained at the mercy of the Emperor.

The crippling doubt that Ingrid tried so desperately to outrun came in full force. The notion that she would so readily betray not just her king but her childhood friend tarnished the very concept of loyalty that she had instilled within her heart from the moment she read the heroic tales of the Kingdom knights of old. What sort of knight was she to defy the creed, the foundation of the noble pursuit?

She was sure she was drawing blood from her arms at this point with how hard she dug her nails into them. Her reputation was compromised the moment she flew away on Boreas, how could she assume Edelgard would trust someone like her so readily. She was a disgrace to knighthood. Ingrid was ready to fall to her knees and apologize for wasting the Emperor’s time. Despair crawled out from the depths of her mind ever so slowly as she wondered where she could possibly go after this.

When she looked to the Emperor to do just that, she wasn’t met with an accusatory gaze like she had expected after a challenge such as that. No, there was... patience in them, like she wasn’t demanding an answer from Ingrid; she was waiting for her conclusion, her definitive thoughts on her purpose here.

The pegasus knight nodded her head in understanding. A spark of confidence lit in her chest, forcing the despair to retreat back into its cave. “I understand that my being here would raise doubt, Your Majesty. I will not lie about the fact that it saddens me to see what my friend has become. Perhaps under different circumstances I would have stayed with him, but with all due respect, Your Majesty, I’m not in the kingdom anymore.” A small, wry smile tugged on her lips as she suddenly thought of Felix and his frequent tirades opposing knighthood. “As long as it took me to finally realize, the notion of loyalty I have been disciplined to uphold is flawed and often given blindly. And despite having _always_ known, the title I held in Faerghus has done nothing for me except lay out a future that I did not want. Dimitri may be king, but he is not _my_ king for he doesn’t fight for Fodlan. At least... he fights for a Fodlan that is long overdue for antiquity.”

Ingrid held a hand over her heart. “I choose to fight for Fodlan’s future, Your Majesty,” she pledged. “If you will have me.”

For the first time since Ingrid arrived in Enbarr, Edelgard smiled. Not a full smile, but enough to showcase satisfaction for the answer and more than enough for Ingrid to feel butterflies in her stomach. “Then I welcome you to Adrestia, Ingrid Galatea. ” Then Edelgard chuckled to herself. “I cannot tell whether or not it is in your favor that you came when you did. We are to return to Garreg Mach within the next day to prepare for a possible attack. I’m afraid you are in for a march so soon after your long journey.”

Ingrid’s muscles ached at the thought and she couldn’t imagine that Boreas would be thrilled either. But regardless, she bowed to her Emperor. “It will be no trouble for me at all, Your Majesty.”

“Good. In the meantime, Dorothea will show you to your temporary accommodations. I’m sure you two will enjoy some time to catch up and for you to get some rest. This meeting is concluded, you are dismissed.”

On cue, the formalities dropped as Dorothea flitted up beside her and held her arm to drag her out of the throne room excitedly. Ingrid rushed to call out to the Emperor, “Thank you, Your Majesty!” just as the doors slammed shut in front of her. But not before Ingrid saw the amused look on Edelgard’s face, once more causing her stomach to fill with butterflies.

***

“Thank you for all you’ve done for me, Dorothea. I would still be in Faerghus if not for you.” Ingrid said as the two of them walked the empty palace halls.

Dorothea waved a dismissive hand. “No need to thank me, Ingrid. If anything _you_ did most of the work coming all the way here and speaking to Edie like that.”

“Even so,” Ingrid mumbled. When they finally emerged outside, she glanced about idly, half hoping to find a familiar face.

“Are you looking for someone?” Dorothea asked.

“I was hoping perhaps I would see Felix. As much of a pain he was back in the academy, I’ve missed him somewhat,” she chuckled airly.

Turns out Felix was one of the few Black Eagles who stayed at Garreg Mach after the siege. She supposed that it was something she should’ve expected of him.

Soon they arrive at the barracks. To her surprise and confusion, Ingrid’s possessions were on the bed and her lance was propped up against the wall beside it. “My things are here?”

“Oh yes, and Boreas is happily in the stables. Funny that,” Dorothea giggled. Then with an accentuated wink, she added, “it’s almost as if Edie knew you’d end up here.”

“W-what?”

But Dorothea was already launching into a new topic, clearly enjoying her friend’s reddening face.

***

She was correct in assuming that Boreas wouldn’t be happy to be travelling again so soon. The sun had barely risen when Ingrid arrived in the stables dressed in her armor rather than her simple riding clothes. He knew that his rider in armor meant business and he stubbornly stayed in his stable, ignoring the insistent coaxing and tugging on his reins, which garnered snickers and laughs from the other riders gathering their steeds.

“Please, Boreas, we’re going to be left behind if you don’t move,” Ingrid pleaded, trying and failing to ignore them, the tips of her ears burning. “We’re not going that far this time, I promise. I’ll give you extra treats when we get there.”

Boreas didn’t budge, snorting in her face defiantly.

Ingrid released the reins, fixing the pegasus with a pout before she huffed back him in weak retaliation.

A light giggle sounded behind her. Both she and the pegasus turned and saw Emperor Edelgard standing by the door. Ingrid quickly stood at attention, her soldier persona outwardly in place. Inwardly, however, she groaned as her embarrassment grew two-fold.

“Having trouble, you two?” Edelgard asked in between laughs and she ventured towards the stall.

“Yes, but nothing that can’t be handled, Your Majesty. We’ll be ready soon,” Ingrid assured dutifully while Boreas knocked his head against her side, making her stumble slightly. “Stop it,” she hissed.

Edelgard took a step closer, her head tilting to the side curiously. Ingrid couldn’t help but find it adorable. For a moment it was like they were back in the academy, engaged in an easy conversation Ingrid _wished_ they had at the time. “What is his name?”

“Boreas, Your Majesty.”

“Boreas,” the emperor hummed. She reached out a hand, but retracted it sheepishly. She looked to Ingrid before asking, “Would he mind if I...?”

Ingrid paused, caught off guard by the Emperor’s shyness. She forgot herself for a split second before snapping back to reality. “Um... no he’s friendly, but uh...” she was stammering in front of the _emperor_. She wanted the earth to swallow her whole. Speaking was already hard, but if Edelgard was keen on petting Boreas then there was one way to introduce them properly. Pegasi were fickle when it came to meeting new people.

“Do you trust me, Your Majesty,” Ingrid asked. Her hands trembled at her sides.

Edelgard frowned. “Yes, of course,” she said, sounding confused. Perhaps it was her imagination, but Ingrid thought the phrase had an underlying meaning to it, as if to say ‘Why wouldn’t I?’

Ingrid didn’t know what to make of it, nor did she give herself time to, lest she overthink it. She gently grasped the Emperor’s gloved hand while placing her other hand on Boreas’s muzzle. She held Edelgard’s gaze, smiling in reassurance as she slowly brought Edelgard’s hand closer toward the pegasus until she could replace her own with it.

Boreas held perfectly still all the while. As soon as Edelgard’s hand was laid flat against his muzzle, he nudged closer into the touch to assuage her hesitation.

Edelgard exhaled in relief and ran her fingers down the length of Boreas’s muzzle affectionately. “He’s beautiful.”

 _You’re gorgeous_ , Ingrid’s thoughts chimed in. “Too bad his attitude right now doesn’t match,” Ingrid jabbed with a shaky laugh to drown it out. She crossed her arms and gave her pegasus a mock glare, for good measure.

Edelgard chuckled behind a hand. “I’ll take the blame for that,” she said then turned to the pegasus. “I’m sorry for forcing you and your rider into another journey, Boreas, but it really isn’t terribly far. I promise that there will be treats waiting for you if you get Ingrid there, and much more for bringing her here to Enbarr. Will that be alright?”

Boreas’s ears had already perked up at the mention of treats and so by the time Edelgard had finished speaking he was nodding his head fervently.

Ingrid gaped at the exchange. She shot her pegasus a genuine glare but his attention wasn’t on her in the slightest.

“Thank you, Boreas” The Emperor looked to Ingrid, who righted her posture immediately. “Well then, I will leave you two to finish your preparations.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

With a parting nod, Edelgard left the stables, leaving Ingrid and Boreas alone.

“Oh so when _I_ offer you treats, I get the attitude. You’re a big bastard sometimes, you know that?” Ingrid deadpanned and reached for the pegasus’s reins. Boreas nuzzled his face into Ingrid’s chest, to which Ingrid could only sigh goodnaturedly. “Suck-up.”

“You are cheerier than I remember,” came a sinister observation from the corner of the stable.

Ingrid whirled around, her hand curled over the hilt of the dagger at her hip as she faced her adversary. It was Hubert?

He emerged from the shadow, merely giving her stance a meager scoff before saying, “Quick reflexes, however easily distracted and unobservant. It’s a wonder how you’ve survived this war for as long as you have.”

“Excuse me?”

“I will come forth and say that I do not trust you. A Kingdom noble here in the Adrestian Army, I’m curious to see what game you’re playing.”

Ingrid tightened her grip on her dagger. “There is no game. I’ve stated my purpose to Her Majesty and I intend to see it through.”

“So you say,” Hubert mused, his eyes narrowing. “If it were up to me you would be removed entirely. However, Her Majesty seems to trust you. I don’t believe I need to explain what will happen should you abuse it.”

Ingrid’s jaw set and she stood to her full height. She barely reached Hubert’s chest, but it mattered not to her as she hardened her gaze. “No, you don’t. I would never hurt her.”

Again, Hubert scoffed at her. “We shall see.” He stalked out of the stable without another word with Ingrid icily glaring after him.

***

Nostalgia hit Ingrid like a wave as she untacked her pegasus. Glancing about the old Garreg Mach stable she could swear she saw flickerings of former classmates milling about, one student filling the water trough, another hanging their saddle, another brushing their horse. So many hours of the day were spent here...

In a daze, Ingrid walked around the monastery, taking in the sight of collapsed buildings and rubble that littered it. Despite the disarray, it was the first time Ingrid felt like she had returned home. Eventually, she stood before the door that led to her old room. There were signs of forced entry along the door frame, likely from looting and raids following the siege. Luckily she was a woman of few possessions. The only things of value were possibly her collection of leather oils and whetstones, and maybe a pair of riding boots; she didn’t quite remember. The door opened with a creak, revealing the familiar sparse bedroom. The bed was made and her waste bin that had been home to many of her father’s letters was empty. The wardrobe and desk were polished and the curtains looked to have been mended some time ago. It was dusty, but not as thick as she was anticipating. Someone has been here to clean it, and regularly at that. But who?

“About time you showed up.”

A smile pulled at her lips on instinct. She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was, but she did anyway. “Good to see you too, Felix.” She gestured around the room. “Did you do this?”

He shrugged indifferently. “I dusted.”

“How did you know I would leave the Kingdom?” she couldn’t help but wonder.

“With all your annoying talk of loyalty and knighthood, you’re not stupid, and your aspirations have no place beside the Boar who is trapped in the past. Call it a relief that at least someone other than me can see that.”

She barked out a laugh. “That’s the closest I’ve ever come to receiving a compliment from you.”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t let it get to your head. Anyway, I’m late for training. You can join me if you want.”

At least some things were the same, she thought. But she didn’t follow after him. Nostalgia wasn’t the only reason why she wanted to go to her room first. Just as she hoped, hidden in the panel of her wardrobe was a pair of shears and a small mirror. She brought the items to her desk, propping the mirror up until it was angled squarely on her face.

She heaved a deep sigh as she clutched the shears in her hands. She was good at trimming her own hair, keeping it well groomed and free of split ends while never actually cutting its length despite always wanting to. She compromised with herself by keeping some fringes short to frame her face while keeping the rest of her hair tied back. It gave the illusion that she had shorter hair, at least from the front. The inhibitions revolving around her family prevented her from ever committing to a shorter hairstyle. Long hair befitted a lady of noble stature after all.

But just as she said in the throne room, she was not in the Kingdom anymore.

And so, she sectioned off part of her long blonde tresses, brought the scissor blades up, and made the first cut.

The next day, she traversed the monastery with an extra spring in her step. She felt leagues lighter with her hair no longer cascading down her back, as if she had shed a chain that had been around her. They fell just below her ears and bounced slightly as she walked. She felt as though she could run for miles and never tire, not when she could relish in how the breeze grazed against her neck. An idea of taking Boreas out for a quick flight came to mind. Flying must feel amazing with short hair. Eager to see, she charted her course for the stables.

She was hardly dressed for it, wearing one of Felix’s old tunics rolled up to her elbows she had tucked into a pair of breeches rather than her usual armor, but she didn’t have the patience to go back to her room and change. She rounded a corner and, at her brisk pace, collided with someone.

“Sorry, I wasn’t—” The words died in her throat. Oh goddess, strike her where she stands.

Emperor Edelgard chuckled, going to smooth out her dress. “It’s quite alright, Ingrid, I’ve taken much worse hits.” She raised her head, her gold crown glittering in the morning sun. “Where are you off to so— oh! You’ve cut your hair.”

“Uh, yes, I-I did, Your Majesty,” she stuttered, unconsciously reaching up to twist a lock of hair between her fingers. “I’ve always wanted shorter hair.”

Edelgard hummed, looking her up in down appraisingly before smiling. “Yes, it certainly suits you well. Coupled with your get-up you look very handsome.” 

A furious blush ignited in Ingrid’s cheeks, the heat rising to the tips of her ears. Handsome? She... liked the way that sounds. “T-thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Please, no need for formalities when it’s just the two of us,” Edelgard insisted. 

“Of course, Your Ma— Edelgard.” Her heartbeat skipped in her chest when she said the Emperor’s name. A strong and beautiful name, she didn’t stand a chance. It was truly beginning to feel like their academy days.

Edelgard nodded, happy to see her request taken seriously. “Are you going to see Boreas?”

Oh, right, that’s what she was here for. “Just for a quick exercise. If I’m not pushing him out of the stables regularly he gets lazy.”

“I see,” Edelgard chortled. “Well he’s all yours. I was stopping by to make sure he received his treats. A promise is a promise after all.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to steal him away from me,” Ingrid joked, raising a brow in playful suspicion.

“Oh I would never,” she defended with exaggerated offense. Then her expression turned wistful. “Though I will admit that riding on a pegasus has been a dream of mine since I was young. Perhaps I had the chance when I had been a student here, but there wasn’t much time. There never seems to be, especially nowadays. Flying sounds truly liberating.”

Ingrid frowned at the hidden sadness in Edelgard’s words. Seeing her like this made her so... human. Nothing like the propaganda that has Faerghus in an iron grip that painted her as a bloodthirsty blaspheming tyrant. Not that she ever believed such things, but it saddened her to know that there are those who readily do.

The Emperor shook her head, smiling wryly to herself. “At any rate, I have some matters to attend to this morning. I hope you enjoy your flight, Ingrid.”

She turned to leave, making it about a few yards away before Ingrid unfroze herself from her doubt to ask the question that begged to be said. “Edelgard,” she called.

Edelgard turned, sporting the same adorable curious tilt of her head.

Ingrid swallowed, praying that her voice was level. “Would it be alright if I gave you a ride around the monastery? If you’d like to, I mean.”

Violet eyes caught the beaming sunlight, making them shine with genuine hope. “I would... Yes, perhaps one day if time permits it, I would like that very much, Ingrid.”

Caught in the thrall of the emperor’s beautiful eyes, she could only nod in response, and Edelgard took her leave.

Ingrid sighed dreamily, falling back against the stone wall as she watched the Emperor’s retreating form. Then she brought her hand over her face, unsurprised to find it warm, and fell into a fit of giggles. This feeling that has wracked her so... this giddiness and joy towards another person. She long resigned herself to the reality that she had forgotten what this feeling was supposed to be, or perhaps that she would never know what it even was after years of obligatory proposals to men she wanted nothing to do with.

But things were different now. She was allowed to be different.

_So this is what it feels like..._

***

In the months that followed, Ingrid slowly climbed the ranks within the army, trading her Faerghus blues for Adrestrian red. She wasn’t a part of Her Majesty’s personal strike force, but she was prolific enough within the pegasus knight branch to feel like she has proven herself worthy of their trust. Hubert hasn’t spoken to her since their initial meeting though she had a feeling that he was still spying on her, his suspicion as strong as before. But he wasn’t even a thought in comparison to seeing Edelgard’s splash of crimson gazing up and giving her a short wave to her while she flew over the monastery while on patrol.

They had chosen to remain stationed at Garreg, taking advantage of its location at the center of Fodlan to better route out bandits along the trade routes. Ingrid herself was often deployed to handle these situations, however word of her experience with long distance travel had apparently worked their way to the commander of the pegasus division. As a result, much to Boreas’s chagrin, Ingrid was to set out on a scouting mission that may take some days to complete. She accepted the task dutifully, though she was dreading it as much as her pegasus.

She had grown fond of her time at the monastery despite being in war time. The other members of the Black Eagle Strike Force made her feel welcome and, while far and in between, Ingrid treasured what few moments she could have with Edelgard. The Emperor wasn’t exaggerating when she said that there was so little time nowadays. They exchanged smiles whenever they crossed paths, and shared meals at the dining hall (if they happened to be there at the same time). Meal times have always been her favorite part of any day, but having them with Edelgard, as coincidental as they are, could never be compared. 

To be away from it all for any longer than a day wasn’t something she wanted, but she had a duty to perform.

Ingrid secured the last of her provisions to Boreas’s saddle, her coin purse well stocked with funds that will last her a week as long as she rationed it properly. Her foot was in the stirrup when she heard her name being called.

Emperor Edelgard briskly made her way towards the pegasus knight, holding a cloth bundle in her arms.

“Your Ma—Edelgard,” Ingrid quickly corrected herself.  
Edelgard paused to catch her breath. “I’m glad I caught you before you left.” 

“Did you need something?”she asked, concerned at the Emperor’s urgency.

“Yes. To give you this.” With that, Edelgard presented the bundle to Ingrid.

Ingrid took the item, her movement slow with surprise and uncertainty. The cloth gave whatever was inside an unassuming shape, but holding it in her hands, she could feel the tell tale curve of a bowl at the bottom, and the protrusion at the top was indicative of a lid. She looked at the Emperor curiously.

“I was informed that you were the one chosen for the scouting mission. I wanted to make sure that you have enough food to last until you reach the next town.” Edelgard’s gaze wandered to and fro, not quite meeting Ingrid directly.

Ingrid stared at the bundle in her grasp, finally registering the warmth seeping through the cloth. Her heart swelled at the gesture.

“I suppose in a way, this will make up for the fact that we won’t be taking meals together until you return,” Edelgard added sheepishly. Then she scoffed and hid her face behind her hand. “Goodness that sounded less horribly sentimental in my mind. I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”

Ingrid shook her head, smiling wide. “Not at all. Thank you so much, Edelgard. I’ll be sure to enjoy this.”

Edelgard’s hand fell away, revealing the pink in her cheeks. “I hope so. Please be safe.”

“I will. We’ve gone through way worse things, right Boreas?”

The pegasus stomped his hoof and stood at attention, his chest puffed out with pride. 

“See? We’ll be back before you know it.” Ingrid stored the bundle away carefully and swung herself up onto the saddle.

The Emperor reached out to pet Boreas’s muzzle. “Even so, I wish you both safe travels.” She leaned in closer to the pegasus, lowering her voice as she pleaded, “Bring her home safe.”

Boreas’s ears flicked forward and he nodded his head.

Ingrid tugged on the reins, turning Boreas away and ready for take off. “See you soon, Edelgard,” she said just as the pegasus flapped his wings.

Clouds of dust puffed up from the ground and Edelgard brought her arms up to shield herself against them. But her eyes didn’t leave the pegasus knight for a second, not until she was long out of sight.

As the Emperor’s arms lowered, her hand came to rest over her heart. She wasn’t remotely religious, but she prayed that this sense of foreboding that weighed heavy in her chest was nothing more than simple worry.

That night, Ingrid set up camp complete with a small tent and a campfire where she was reheating the soup that Edelgard had gifted her. Right away she could tell that the vegetables were cut too thick and thus not cooked all the way, and at the first bite it was much too salty. Dorothea often remarked how she and Edelgard often bonded over their subpar culinary skills. Even so, Ingrid ate the soup in its entirety. It was the best meal she’s ever received.

***

When she arrived in the first town the following day, she asked the merchants and barkeep for any rumors and news regarding the region.

The barkeep shrugged when she asked, then said, “Bandits to the north. Nothing out of the ordinary except how many there are.”

She thanked him and left, moving on to the next town two days away. 

The merchants there mentioned passing by camp in the grass fields on the other side of the woods bearing Faerghus flags. The size and number of the inhabitants was unknown. Ingrid bit her lip in thought. If this army was heading towards Garreg Mach, they were a good three days out. She could return now and report her findings, but without an estimation of the army’s number there was no way to know what to prepare for.

She waited until nightfall before she rode out towards the woods, keeping Boreas at a steady gallop and out of the air to avoid being spotted. She used the road that paved through the forest floor as a guide and soon the edge of the forest grew near, as did the stark white tents pitched along the perimeter. Ingrid left Boreas behind and went to continue on her own, to which Boreas protested, grunting and snorting at her.

“I’ll be just a moment,” she whispered to the pegasus. 

She crept around the massive tent to peek out from it. Just as the merchant said, Faerghus tents littered the clearing. Dozens upon dozens of tents that could easily house at least twenty soldiers at a time. Soldiers marched along, others sparred in makeshift rings, while others gathered around bonfires for dinner. She had her estimation, now if she could spot who the commanding officer of the army was, that would help immensely with how to plan a counter attack.

Her conscience warned her against it, telling her to leave now before something went wrong. But her mission was intel gathering and she needed to gather as much as she could. She swallowed, steeling her nerves before creeping into the camp.

In her experience living in these camps, the commander’s tent was often at the center of the site for easy access for any soldier with an inquiry, and to be furthest away from an attack from either direction. It was too risky to head there though. She knew her limits and among them was stealth. Her legs shook and she winced with every step as the crunch of grass seemed to erupt from her feet. Luckily the roar of fire and the clattering of armor from moving soldiers provided a semblance of cover. She hid behind a tent closest to one of the bonfires in the hopes that one of the soldiers would say something useful.

Most of the dialogue the men exchanged was unintelligible. Murmurs and grousing utterances floated uselessly into Ingrid’s ear. She must be too far away. Just as she considered moving to the next group, another soldier came rushing up to one of the men.

He saluted stiffly. “Sir! General Pronislav is requesting your presence.”

 _Gilbert?_ Ingrid thought. The last time she heard news of him he was in the capital, acting as Dimitri’s advisor. If he was their commander, then there was no doubt that his objective was to reclaim Garreg Mach. But where was Dimitri? As bloodthirsty and revenge driven as he was, he wouldn’t pass up the chance to face Edelgard in battle for the sake of tactic. Perhaps Gilbert knew that bringing the King would result in a far bloodier battle than was necessary. Perhaps there was another surprise attack waiting to happen with Dimitri leading that charge. Too many possibilities to consider and non enough time to spend parsing them out.

With the new information in mind, Ingrid made to leave her hiding spot. Unfortunately, she emerged from the shadows at the same moment the man whom Gilbert had summoned also rose to his feet.

“Hey! You!”

Ingrid flinched. Stupid, stupid, why didn’t she check if the coast was clear first. She broke into a sprint as shouts of alarm rose into the night.

“Intruder!”

Steel swords sang out from their sheathed along with the clatter of greaves and plate armor. Arrows whistled through the air, with one just grazing her ear as she ducked out of range. More flew past along with an array of magic. Something impacted her back. She paid it little mind. Adrenaline pumped through her as she focused on getting through the treeline. One soldier went to intercept her, raising his sword to strike. She drew her dagger just in time to parry it away. She couldn’t afford to break her sprint.

After what felt like a lifetime, she broke through the treeline, followed by a mass of soldiers on her heels. She whistled for Boreas. The pegasus neighed in the distance, faithfully coming to his rider’s aid.

When he was close enough to see her, she signalled for him to turn back around. He obeyed, maintaining a canter as Ingrid ran up beside him. In one smooth, practiced action, she jumped into the stirrups and hoisted herself up onto Boreas’s back.

“Go, Boreas, go!” she commanded as she fumbled for the reins.

The pegasus snorted and went into a full gallop. Trees blurred by, the shouting of pursuing enemies grew fainter, but she didn’t allow herself to feel relief, not until they were out of the literal woods.

He didn’t need prompting to take to the sky as soon as they were free of obstruction. He flew like an arrow towards the clouds while Ingrid held on as tight as she could, letting her pegasus do what he needed to get out of danger. It wasn’t until she felt the flight level out, felt Boreas’s wings flap steadily as they coasted, that she completely slumped against his neck.

Her arm felt unusually heavy when she went to give Boreas a pat on the neck. The adrenaline gradually drained from her, leaving behind a burning sting in her shoulder. What was it though?

No matter. She had to return to the monastery. She had to warn Edelgard. But... maybe she can rest. Just for a little bit.

Boreas flew on, trying to fly as quickly as he was able while also balancing his rider as she became deadweight on his back. Something was wrong. He had to get her to safety and fast.

What should’ve been a three day trip back home was done in a day and half. Ingrid was lucid enough in between to eat something from her rations, but everything felt muted and sluggish, like she was moving through mud. Whenever Boreas touched down to rest his wings, he kept going on hoof, following the dirt road to Garreg Mach for as long as he could afford to before once more taking to the sky.

Soon, the monastery loomed into view. The pegasus flew right over the wall, not even bothering with meeting the guards at the gates. He circled the monastery, frantically scanning for one person.

Edelgard mindlessly strolled about, finding herself with a rare case of free time. As usual her thoughts drifted to Ingrid, wondering how the pegasus knight was faring. Thoughts like these often directed her towards the stables. A part of her hoped that perhaps she would catch Ingrid just as she returned from her mission. She would find the knight untacking her trusted steed and would give her that charming smile she often wears when it was just the two of them.

An alarmed whinny sounded from above her, startling her out of her daydream. Whirling around, Edelgard felt her heart drop to her stomach at the sight of Boreas and a slumped over Ingrid hanging off him.

“Ingrid!” she shouted, barely allowing the pegasus to properly land before she was pulling the woman into her arms.

“Edelgard,” the knight slurred, smiling faintly despite the clear exhaustion and pain on her face. Sweat was rolling from her forehead, her face flush with fever.

“What happened?” Edelgard shook her head, adjusting her hold on Ingrid until she was in a bridal carry with her head resting in the crook of her neck. “Never mind you need a healer. Just stay with me, alright?”

Ingrid nodded weakly. She sighed contently and unconsciously nuzzled closer into the Emperor’s neck. The aroma of bergamot and noa fruit filled her senses while her vision blurred in and out of darkness the whole way to Manuela’s infirmary.

She didn’t hear the frantic exchange of words that soon came after, though she was very aware of the loss of warmth when Edelgard set her down on one of the beds. Her armor plates were hastily removed, tossed carelessly to the floor as she was made to sit on the mattress. Her tunic was pulled up to her shoulders, exposing her back to Manuela.

Then the familiar sensation of healing magic washed through her like a cresting wave. Her limbs felt tremendously lighter and a pressure she didn’t realize was there eased out of her chest. She gasped. Air rushed into her faster than she could breathe and she fell into a fit of coughs. Eventually, it calmed and the healing sensation ceased as Manuela pulled her hands away from her back.

Her eyes peeled open. Edelgard’s violet eyes, wide with concern and glistening with unshed tears, were the first things she saw.

“Ingrid,” Edelgard said hoarsely, running her fingers through the knight’s mussed up bangs from her forehead.

Though the Emperor was speechless, Ingrid didn’t need to look too closely to see an entire tirade in her eyes: the fear that gave way to relief that then crumbled under the weight of confusion accompanied by frustration and anger.

Her own throat tightened at the sight. Where she had been ready to relay her findings from her mission, Ingrid found herself unable to utter a single word in the midst of heavy guilt settling in her heart, knowing that _she_ was the reason why Edelgard wore such an expression.

When Manuela returned with a glass of water, Edelgard reluctantly moved away to allow the physician to hold it up to Ingrid’s lips.

She drank, her tentative sips growing into fervent gulps until the glass was empty.

“How are you feeling, Ingrid?” Manuela questioned, her voice calculating, but still laced with worry. Whatever happened to her must’ve given them both a scare.

“Better,” the knight croaked out. “Tired. A little hungry.”

The physician chuckled softly. “Back to your old self already.”

“What... what happened to me?” She didn’t remember the trip back, all she could remember was running away from the enemy camp and riding away on Boreas.

“Nosferatu spell, and a nasty one at that,” came the diagnosis. “I’ve never seen one fester so persistently before. It’s caster must be exceptionally strong. You’re lucky your pegasus got you back in such a quick time.”

Ingrid startled at the mention of her companion. “Boreas? Is he alright?”

“I’m sure he is, but right now you need to focus on yourself and rest. Unless you wish to eat first, I can have a meal prepared for you.”

Edelgard took that moment to step in. “I will arrange for that, Professor.” Then she turned to Ingrid, her jaw set with her Emperor’s mask firmly in place. “Please rest. We will have a chance to speak later.”

“Edelgard,” Ingrid tried to say, but the Emperor was already out of the room.

“Oh dear,” Manuela tutted.

“Is something wrong?”

“I can’t speak for Her Majesty, but I’m sure you can surmise how worried she was for you,” Manuela said as she eased Ingrid to lie flat on the bed. “Well, ‘worried’ might be too weak of a word... All the same, things like this are to be expected in war. Though, judging by the look on your face, you’re not looking forward to sharing exactly how you came to be wounded.”

Ingrid sighed. “I was sloppy. But even so, I don’t regret what I did and I gained imperative information I need to deliver.”

Manuela hummed. “I won’t pry further, but if you truly believe that what you did was the right thing, then who am I to object. However, life is a precious thing to gamble and while it may be war time, I’m sure I’m not the only one who doesn’t wish to see you gone so soon.”

A few minutes later, Edelgard didn’t return to the infirmary. Instead it was the pegasus knight commander accompanied by a guard holding a tray of food.

“Where is Emperor Edelgard?” Ingrid asked.

“Her Majesty was pulled away for another matter,” the commander said. “But on to the business at hand. What have you learned?”

Ingrid relayed the location of the Kingdom army and their advancement on Garreg Mach. While she did so, Emperor Edelgard sequestered herself at the stables. The stablehands had tended to Boreas, treating him for his overexertion on the return home. He was dehydrated and famished, his muscles were strained from running as were his wings from flying. They had the pegasus suspended from the rafters to alleviate the pressure on his worn out legs and already he looked to be less in pain.

Edelgard took slow steps toward him, her throat tight and arms shaking as she raised a hand to his nose.

Recognizing her, Boreas allowed the contact, snorting softly into her gloved hand. As she stroked along his muzzle, her hands still shook. Her bottom lip trembled and she forced herself to blink away impending tears. Her terrible feeling had been right. She should’ve stopped Ingrid when she had the chance.

She felt Boreas lower his head, pressing it flush against her torso in comfort.

It was only then that she allowed herself to break, just for a little bit. “Thank you, Boreas. Thank you.”

***

Just as Ingrid reported, the Kingdom army under the command of General Gilbert marched towards Garreg Mach three days proceeding Ingrid’s return.

Commended for her successful scouting, Ingrid was given the allotted time to follow Manuela’s advice and rest. She felt like her old self, albeit disheartened by the fact that Edelgard hadn’t been able to come to see her, save for the first day when she brought her to the infirmary herself. She wanted nothing more than to speak with her, see her smile again, maybe even take her on the flight they had discussed months ago. Anything to break this tension that was between them.

But with a battle on the horizon, it wasn’t possible. Preparations had to be made, weapons to be sharpened, soldiers rallied, and orders distributed. Ingrid made sure to give her hypothesis that perhaps Dimitri, or at least another attack, would arrive as well, offering her expertise on the King’s crazed battle tendencies as proof for caution. And so extra preparations were made just in case.

The sun hung high on the third day. The pegasus knights took to the skies, waiting in their formation while the infantry lined up below them. Ingrid and Boreas sat idle at the center of the charge, staring out into the distance as the Kingdom flags marched on towards them.

Eventually, Ingrid’s eyes fell to the infantry below, seeking out bright crimson and gleaming gold. Edelgard stood at attention, holding Aymr in one hand and a large shield in the other, looking as regal as ever even from the knight’s altitude.

As if sensing eyes on her, the Emperor looked up, and their gazes locked with one another. Ingrid swallowed, her heart skipping a beat. She raised her hand and gave Edelgard a small wave. By all means, she shouldn’t have been able to see the smile that grew on Edelgard’s lips, but after months of being around the Emperor, Ingrid was confident that she would be able to pick it out from a crowd. And so, as Edelgard set her shield down to return her wave with a smile, Ingrid could swear that her heart would burst from her chest.

Blaring horns filled the field. The Kingdom army had begun their advance. With a rallying shout, Edelgard ordered them onto the counteroffensive. Whinnying pegasi accompanied their riders’ battle cries. And the battle commenced.

Just as they had trained, Ingrid and Boreas swooped down from the sky, using the ranged advantage of her lance to stab at enemy soldiers without needing to get in close. Boreas’s nimble movements evaded sword strikes and out of range of archers, protecting both himself and his rider. At the nudge of her heel, Boreas returned to the sky, ready to swoop down into the next area his rider needed to be.

She spotted Gilbert, barreling his way towards the center where he surely would find Edelgard. She clenched her teeth. She had hoped that she didn’t have to face him, but with Edelgard in possible danger, Ingrid drew a determined breath, her eyes narrowing with ferocity, and she signalled Boreas to dive toward the general. Flapping his mighty wings to break the fall, a great gust of wind and dust erupted around them, effectively stopping the general in his tracks as he raised his shield to protect his eyes from the debris.

“Not another step,” Ingrid threatened, brandishing her lance to point at Gilbert.

Gilbert lowered the large shield. His angered expression morphing to one of anguish. “Oh, Ingrid. What have you done?”

“What I think is right,” she answered immediately.

“ _Betraying_ your own homeland, is that the sort of knight you wish to be?” Gilbert snarled.

“You have no right to lecture me about betrayal,” she countered. It didn’t need to be said what she was speaking of, or rather _who_ she was speaking about.

Gilbert sighed. “I did what I had to do—”

“As did I, Gilbert.” 

“But it’s not too late for you! You can still return home.”

She shook her head. “No. I can’t live in that world again. I fight for a future, not for a King who clings to a delusion he calls justice.” _I will fight for my Emperor._

And with that, she charged at him, taking advantage of his surprise to land a clean hit in his shoulder. The wound was shallow, but it slowed his axe swings substantially. Ingrid pressed the attack, chipping away at the general’s heavy armor piece by piece until she could finally pierce flesh. The general fell to his knees with a groan.

She readied her weapon for the final blow. But stopped. Her time at the academy with Annette came to the forefront of her mind, recalling how the girl would so often express seeing her father again one day, despite years of abandonment. What would happen to her if Ingrid struck down her father today?

Seeing her hesitation, Gilbert rose to his feet and gathered his shield and axe. With one last parting look of sadness, he turned and retreated. She let him, frozen in the saddle while Boreas hovered in place.

No doubt letting Gilbert live will have consequences in the future... but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not this time, at least.

“Up, Boreas,” she commanded and resumed her rhythm of picking off enemies from above.

After hours of fighting, the Kingdom army dwindled in numbers and finally called for a retreat. The Imperial soldiers raised their weapons in cheer along with the various members of the Black Eagle Strike Force. Ingrid almost joined them when something caught her eye. There was some fighting still occuring at the battlefield’s center while the rest fled back to where they had initially marched from.

Hubert had stepped away from Edelgard’s side to capture a retreating mage, leaving the Emperor alone to face her current adversary. She was vulnerable to a charging soldier with a broadsword hefted over his head for a deadly strike for the Emperor.

Ingrid kicked Boreas into action. They weren’t going to make it in time to intercept the blow, not by a long shot with the side angle they were approaching at, but maybe there was another way.

“You’re not going to like this, but I’m going to need you to fly in close behind that soldier, okay Boreas?”

The pegasus gave a tentative snort in compliance and beat his wings faster and turning slightly to position them just enough that they would zoom behind the attacking soldier.

“Okay, okay,” Ingrid muttered to herself as she pushed herself up from the saddle until she was kneeling on it, her legs bent and ready to jump. 

What came next felt as though it happened in slow motion. Edelgard vanquished the foe that had her attention and turned to face the sudden oncoming attacker. The Emperor went to raise her shield, but even she knew it was too late. The attacker, with fire and victory alight in his battle crazed eyes, brought his broadsword down to cleave into the crimson Emperor. Right at that moment, Boreas got Ingrid into position. Using the forward momentum of the pegasus, the knight leaped from off the saddle and braced herself to collide straight into the attacker’s side where she wrapped her arms around his torso and twisted. Both of them rolled to the unforgiving ground. Air rushed out of Ingrid’s chest as the soldier landed square against her chest for a second before they separated away with limbs sprawled at their sides.

Time sped up again. Ingrid, heaving and panting for air, scrambled for her lance just as the attacker went to retrieve his fallen broadsword.

Edelgard snapped out of her stupor induced by the sheer ludacry of what she had just witnessed and brought Aymr forward for a strike of her own.

Both knight and Emperor landed their attacks against the soldier. For a beat, the soldier stood in shock. Then he finally fell to the earth with a thud.

The two heaved for breath, a long stretch of silence forming between them, long enough for Boreas to circle back around to them. The rest of the Kingdom soldiers had made their retreat, leaving the Imperial forces to celebrate their defense of the monastery.

“What...” Edelgard panted, then gathered enough of herself to reprimand, “in the _hell_ were you thinking?”

Ingrid leaned against her lance, wincing as her torso throbbed beneath her breast plate. She hoped that nothing was broken. “Do you want my thoughts told verbatim or abridged, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor barked a humorless laugh. “Joking. At a time like this? I seem to recall that you were injured not even three days ago, you can’t just go throwing yourself literally into battle like that.”

“It was a surprisingly effective tactic though, you have to admit.”

“Ingrid!”

“Sorry, sorry! But if you had come to visit, you’d have seen that I made a full recovery,” Ingrid argued. Then she sighed, straining to stand up right to properly meet Edelgard’s angered gaze. “Besides, you think I’d just let you take a sword like that?”

Edelgard’s face fell. “No, I suppose not.” A pause. “Still that was a foolish act to pull.”

Boreas took that moment to walk up and headbutt into Ingrid, as if giving a scolding of his own.

“Alright, I get it,” Ingrid whined. “Trust me, I don’t want to do that again, it was just the first thing that came to mind.”

The Emperor rubbed her temple, but nonetheless she did feel lighter talking with Ingrid again, even if they were having a bit of a spat at the moment. “Were you this foolhardy in the Kingdom?” she teased, feigning exasperation. 

The pegasus knight rubbed the back of her head with her battered gauntlet. “No, not really.” Then she chuckled at herself. “I suppose I’ve been adopting more unconventional means of action nowadays.”

“Well, keep it in moderation. And don’t speak of that stunt you pulled to Caspar. The last thing I need is for him to go coercing the other riders into his shenanigans. And please be more careful in the future. I don’t need another heart attack.”

Ingrid frowned guiltily. While Edelgard meant it in jest, she knew that the fear and worry she had caused were very much real. “As you wish,” she said with her head bowed.

“Lady Edelgard!” Hubert came running up and dipped into a low bow. “My deepest apologies for my distraction and negligence. Are you unharmed?”

“Yes, Hubert. Ingrid arrived just at the right moment,” The Emperor assured. “No need to dwell on it further, let us return to the monastery.”

The retainer and the pegasus knight locked eyes as Edelgard walked away. Ingrid narrowed her eyes in challenge, while Hubert’s scrutiny gave way to surprise for a split second before falling into neutrality. 

“I see that you are not as unobservant as my initial assessment had deduced,” he hummed. “Thank you for protecting her. Even if the method was less than practical.”

“So I’ve heard,” she grumbled, rubbing at her torso and left it at that.

Later that night, after mourning and celebrations alike had concluded, Ingrid lounged in her bedroom with a novel she borrowed from the library resting in her lap as she read. Or tried to. Her thoughts wandered back to her encounter with Gilbert, blurring the words together to the point that she hadn’t turned a single page in the last hour.

_Is this the kind of knight you wish to be? It’s not too late for you._

Ingrid scowled, her fingers curling into the corners of the book. With a defeated huff, she closed the book and tossed it to a random spot on the bed. He was wrong on both accounts. It was _much_ too late for her to return to the Kingdom, nor did she want to, and she wasn’t a knight. The Empire has no order of knighthood anyway. Her childhood dream will never be realized, but that was a small price to pay for the freedom that her defection had allotted her—a small price to pay for the future to be built at the end of this dark time.

She closed her eyes and tried to envision it. But just like many times before, her vision was simply dark before conjuring her father’s countless letters, faces of nobles she was forced to mingle with, and decadent galas she had no choice but to attend. She sighed. Perhaps it was still too good to be true even after all these months.

A knock came at her door, a soft, shy rapping against the old wood. With a short grunt, Ingrid sat up, mindful of the bruising she had earned from battle, before shuffling to answer the door.

“Oh,” she breathed in surprise as Emperor Edelgard stood before her, holding another bundle of cloth in her arms. Though this time it clearly wasn’t another attempt at cooking, rather it looked to be folded clothes.

Edelgard took in Ingrid’s nighttime attire and flustered, “My apologies, did I wake you?”

“Not at all.” Ingrid gestured for the Emperor to enter the room. After a moment’s pause, Edelgard stepped inside and Ingrid closed the door with a soft click. “I was reading a little bit ago, but I’m afraid I wasn’t making much progress,” she continued.

“I see. Is there something on your mind?”

She felt heat rise to her face as she recalled her momentary daydream. “Many things yes...” She cleared her throat. “But first I’m curious about what you’re holding there. That certainly doesn’t look like soup.”

Edelgard flushed. “N-no it isn’t. I’m sure you’ve learned that skills certainly don’t lie within the kitchen.”

“On the contrary, Edelgard, I found it to be delicious,” Ingrid reassured with a bright smile.

The Emperor’s lips pressed into a thin line, clearly trying to suppress her bashfulness but her cheeks had already betrayed her. “Well in any case, I’ve come to give you these,” she said quickly.

Laying out the clothes out on the bed, Ingrid’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open. It was a long-sleeved, seafoam green flyer’s coat that came up to the neck overlaid with a cuirass and shoulder pauldrons. Beside that was a pair of simple beige riding breeches that complimented the silver armor. Lastly, Ingrid held up a mid-length teal cape with a furred collar. As she ran her fingers over the fabric in awe, Edelgard held up a finger and stepped back outside to retrieve a pair of knee high boots she had left in the doorway.

“As much as red is becoming on you, I couldn’t help but think that cool colors suit you best,” Edelgard said and set the boots down beside the bed, the ensemble now complete. “Bernadetta was happy to design and Dorothea most certainly has a better eye for color coordination than I.”

“Thank you, Edelgard,” Ingrid managed to say, albeit breathlessly. “But... what brought this on?”

Edelgard chuckled. “It’s been an unspoken rule that members of the Black Eagle Strike Force don a more unique look, and seeing as Felix has kept his blue motif, I felt it appropriate that you should be able to as well.”

“Black Eagle Strike Force? Me?”

“But of course.” Edelgard frowned. “Do you not wish to be?”

“No no!” Ingrid winced and lowered her voice. “No, it’s not like that. I just... don’t exactly feel deserving of such an honor.”

Edelgard’s head tilted. “Why not? You’ve more than proved yourself these past few months since you’ve joined, not discounting your more unconventional stunt earlier of course.”

Ingrid shook her head. “I’m not questioning my merits, so much as I am questioning my conviction.” 

Edelgard said nothing, patience glazing her violet eyes.

The pegasus knight sighed, a deep frown marring her features. “When I came to Enbarr, I said that I couldn’t envision the future you’re fighting to build, but regardless I wanted to see it. But even now, when I close my eyes, I still can’t see it. Am I truly worthy of being by your side if I can’t share in your vision?”

The silence that followed was deafening. As unlikely as it was, Ingrid’s shoulders tensed with anticipation of Edelgard’s criticisms and disgust in her. She felt like a child waiting to be scolded.

A hand cupped her cheek, gently turning her head to fully face Edelgard.

“Ingrid,” Edelgard hushed. “Quiet your mind a moment and listen. I do not expect anyone who fights under me to share my vision for the future. I only ask that they fight for what they believe in. The choice has always fallen to you as it does the soldiers you’ve fought alongside.” Edelgard smiled, stroking her thumb over her cheekbone. Only inches separated their faces, neither of them moved to pull away. “So... What future do _you_ wish to fight for, Ingrid Galatea?”

Ingrid gulped, feeling her heart thundering in her aching ribcage. With a steadying breath, she closed her eyes once more, only this time she pulled back the scope of this elusive future, envisioned not a grand plan for generations to come, but where she sees herself in this new world. She was strolling through a garden, not dressed in armor but rather in her simple tunic meant for lounging. Her hand was warm, fingers interlaced with another’s and when she turned her mind’s eye to see the person she was accompanied by, she saw with crystal clarity Edelgard’s face. The Emperor was free of her gold gilded crown, her hair down and blowing in the light breeze and her expression smoothed over with content and utter peace.

Ingrid’s eyes slowly opened, the afterimage still burning in her retinas. _Oh._

And just like that, her previous worries of seeing an impossible future were eased.

“What did you see?” Edelgard whispered.

The pegasus knight shook her head, laughing breathlessly and earned a curious look from Edelgard. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m afraid that it will sound so foolish with how emotional I’ll be if I shared.”

“Emotions can be foolish, but they cement our humanity. It’s a lesson I often forget myself as emperor... Seeing you injured like that was a reminder.”

Ingrid frowned at that. “I’m sorry I made you worry. But if I didn’t do what I did, I wouldn’t have learned that Gilbert was the one leading the charge.”

“I know. But what would’ve happened if Boreas didn’t make it time? It’s terribly selfish of me to say that while you may not be a knight in an Empire that has no protocol for them, but you’re still a knight to me. My knight, Ingrid. I wish for you to see the new world as well where your own dreams can become possible alongside mine.” Edelgard sniffled, trying and failing to stop her tears. “I can’t bear the thought of losing you so soon.”

On instinct, Ingrid pulled Edelgard into a hug as tight as she was able to muster without irritating the bruises. Meanwhile, the Emperor buried her face into her chest. “You won’t lose me,” she murmured, scared that if she spoke any louder she would shatter this moment.

“You can’t promise that,” Edelgard choked.

“No. But I will be damned if I didn’t try for you.” Then Ingrid cupped Edelgard’s cheek, stroking her thumb to catch the falling tear there. “I have something to add to my answer.”

Edelgard leaned into her touch. “What are you referring to?”

“When you asked me why I left the Kingdom and came here to the Empire. I have something to add.”

The Emperor gave a weak chuckle. “I thought your answer was more than satisfactory at the time, my knight. But now I’m curious.”

“I’ve realized that I came here for a future. A future without Crests and nobility, yes, but I would like a future with you in it. If you will have me...”

Edelgard pulled Ingrid’s hand away from her cheek to place a kiss against her palm. “As if I would ever deny you.”

Ingrid flushed at the action. “C-can...Can I kiss you, Edelgard?” she stammered.

Edelgard raised her head, her stare boring into Ingrid’s green eyes as she raised an amused brow that contrasted with her teary eyes. “Did I stutter?”

The pegasus knight chortled, before pressing her lips to Edelgard’s.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on twitter @ashtree111 where i thirst over edelgard and bemoan the lack of edelgrid content *finger guns*


End file.
